If I really had the ability to hypnotize, would I still be holding your hand

Walking to school with Xia Yanchun, Shen Nian was never really well-behaved.

He always liked to cradle her hand in his, smoothing her hair one moment, fondling her ear the next, utterly unable to keep his hands off her.

They soon arrived at school. After parking his bike, Shen Nian immediately caught up to Xia Yanchun's pace.

Before his restless hands could make a move, he quickly withdrew them.

"Whoa, what a coincidence?" Chen Dong, with a backpack slung over his shoulder, was signing a leave request at the school gatehouse. Glancing up, he happened to see Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun.

"What are you doing here?" Shen Nian spoke first. "And why are you taking leave?"

"Got the teacher's signature last night. Something came up with a relative, going back to accompany them."

Chen Dong grinned, not at all surprised to see the two of them entering school together first thing in the morning. Them commuting together and walking into class as a pair wasn't a new thing, not by a long shot.

He seemed to have just seen Shen Nian trying to hold the class monitor's hand too, though he wasn't sure if it was what he thought.

Even if they really did hold hands, he wouldn't be surprised. He'd felt for a long time that things between Shen Nian and the monitor were a bit too ambiguous.

Xia Yanchun felt somewhat embarrassed and stayed quiet. She passed through the school gate first, waiting for the two boys to finish talking a little further inside, before walking to the classroom with Shen Nian.

"Chen Dong took leave again, said something came up with a relative," Shen Nian said, more to himself.

"I heard."

"Hiss, I'm a bit thirsty. Come on, let's swing by the store and buy a cola."

"Drinking cola first thing in the morning? Aren't you afraid of getting sick from drinking so much? If you want something cold, buy mineral water."

"Control freak," Shen Nian muttered under his breath.

In the end, he bought mineral water. All the drinks at the school store had doubled in price; only the two-yuan water was still sold for two yuan, a rare bit of conscience.

Shen Nian rarely drank hot water. Even in winter, he preferred cold water. Unlike Xia Yanchun, who often filled her thermos with hot water in the morning and drank it throughout the forenoon. The hot water in class was mostly fetched by the girls, often leaving that area of the floor damp.

The first two morning classes went fine. During the long break, Shen Nian had just taken a sip of water when Su Kexi materialized at the classroom door, calling inside.

"Xia Yanchun, Shen Nian, both of you, come to the office."

Shen Nian almost spat his water all over Ma Mingfan.

He wasn't afraid of the office, and Xia Yanchun wasn't afraid of being called to the office either; both were regular visitors.

But the two of them being called together? That was terrifying.

After all.

During that noon of the midterm exams...

Under the watch of who-knows-if-it-was-even-on cameras, they had held hands openly on the desk...

Now being summoned to the office together again, Shen Nian was scared to death.

Had some bored administrator reviewed the surveillance footage and pressured the homeroom teacher, or had they been too blatant lately?

Whatever the case, Shen Nian was not feeling good. He glanced sideways at Xia Yanchun and found her rigid too, as if she'd also been dead for a while.

Xia Yanchun turned her stiff neck, meeting Shen Nian's gaze. They both swallowed dryly, not saying a word.

"Why aren't you two going yet?" Ma Mingfan looked back at them. "Didn't the teacher call you?"

"Ahem!" Shen Nian broke out in a cold sweat, feeling utterly unwell. He slowly got up and left the classroom with Xia Yanchun.

"Wh-what is it about?" Xia Yanchun was quite nervous, clutching her clothes tightly.

"How would I know, you're the class monitor..."

"It's... it's all your fault!"

She was flustered, her scolding of Shen Nian lacking any real force. She was truly afraid it was what she suspected—being called to the office because of that ridiculous thing she and Shen Nian did in the classroom...

Coupled with tomorrow's parent-teacher meeting, the teacher might even give both sets of parents a hint. If that happened, her world would truly collapse!

"It's all your fault!" she muttered at Shen Nian again under her breath.

Shen Nian gave her a look. "Am I some legendary scapegoat king or something?"

As if I hypnotized you, controlled you to raise your hand, and held it for ages without you moving a muscle, right?

If I really had hypnotic powers, would I just be holding your hand?

"Huff..."

"Don't panic. You've read so many books, yet you get this flustered over a little thing." Shen Nian collected himself slightly and said quietly, "You're the top student in the whole school. So what if we got caught 'dating early'? Would the school dare punish you?"

Xia Yanchun, already anxious and guilty, was left speechless by Shen Nian's words. Her breathing quickened, her tone carrying a hint of barely detectable embarrassment, her eyes wide and bright.

"Who's dating you early? Don't talk nonsense!"

"Alright, alright. Anyway, it's nothing serious."

Xia Yanchun would definitely be fine. Shen Nian wasn't afraid either. Two super top students dating, with no drop in grades—what business did the school have meddling?

If they really wanted to make an example, they had no grounds to target them.

The hallway was bustling with people. Xia Yanchun felt every step was agonizing. Reaching the office door, she even forgot her usual polite greeting, her mind completely occupied with that business with Shen Nian.

She regretted it to death. She shouldn't have indulged him so much in the classroom. At home, she wouldn't have had these worries!

It was all because Shen Nian was never satisfied, always wanting to touch and fondle. So infuriating.

"Good morning, teacher!"

Shen Nian greeted politely, scanning the gathering of geniuses in this "retirement home." Yep, a genius assembly.

"What took you so long? Come over here." Su Kexi beckoned. When they approached, she handed them two blank sheets of paper, smiling. "One of you has excellent grades, the other is a dark horse. You two will be the student representatives at tomorrow's parent-teacher meeting. You'll need to go on stage and read a speech.

Xia Yanchun, you write about your methods and insights on maintaining your grades. Shen Nian, you write about your change in mindset during this period. You can add some study tips, write something positive. Finish it and show it to me tonight. No problem, right?"

So that's what it was.

Thought it was about catching early romance.

Hey, can't say things carelessly. My buddy and Chun Bao have always just been ambiguous, definitely not dating early, okay? We have a normal classmate relationship.

Although Shen Nian wasn't terribly afraid, the relief of it not being about catching early romance was still palpable. He and Xia Yanchun both slowly let out a sigh of relief.

Xia Yanchun couldn't help but pat her chest with her small hand, her heart having nearly leapt out.

She had already concocted a story in her head about a kind, lovely little girl being bewitched by an evil pervert and forced into interlocking fingers.

"Did you two hear me?" Su Kexi narrowed her eyes. "Why do I get the feeling you're both very nervous?"

"Not at all, teacher. Absolutely heard you."

"We heard, teacher..."

They spoke over each other, but overall felt much lighter.

Su Kexi didn't press the issue. She wasn't blind; how could she not see the little thoughts of her students? She saw through it but chose not to say anything, to avoid being disliked.

"Good that you heard. Here's the midterm grade report. Xia Yanchun, take it back and project it. After everyone's seen it, post it on the back wall of the classroom. You can go back now."

"Okay~"

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No need to wait up. Taking a small break tonight, only one update.

Yan Xi reminds you: Due to Tomato's request for 3 million+ daily updates causing excessive server pressure, it is now recommended that you use sources from other big shots.